House Arrest
by Ineedausernamesoon
Summary: A misunderstanding spirals into a feud between two team members. Their marriages and relation ships with each other are falling apart. Their children decide to get their family back by force. The teenagers hatch a plan to take their parents hostage and force them to put their differences aside. House Arrest: NCIS style.
1. Chapter 1

I paused hearing the tell-tale silence. The calm before the storm that was sure to follow. In 3, 2, and 1:

"What the hell is wrong with you!"

And there it was. Every day for the last two years had consisted of the same thing: An epic screaming match at breakfast, the silent treatment at dinner and a tantrum for dessert.

Rolling my eyes, I slipped out. I had to hustle to make it to school because the fifteen minutes before the bell was the only time I got to hang out with my best friends.

My name is Michael Gibbs and I am best friends with Jacob DiNozzo as well as Christopher and Caitlin McGee

I rolled in on my skateboard and stopped short of my group. Jacob, Christopher, Caitlin and I were best friends since diapers. Recent years have forced our friendship to remain confidential but you shall soon see.

"Mikey!" Jake greeted happily as he munched on a cupcake

"I'm guessing you guys experienced a hurricane P too," I laughed as I snagged a cupcake off of Christopher.

"Oh yeah!" Caitlin chuckled, "It is getting annoying."

"Tell me about it!" Jake groaned, "I'm afraid that one day I'm going to be a witness to murder,"

Our topic of conversation is currently our parents or as we have term them collectively: Hurricane P.

Our parents were family and we grew up as cousins. Every weekend, holiday or days off, we were together. Two years ago, things changed and suddenly everyone was at war.

Uncle Tony and Uncle Tim do not speak to each other. Aunt Abby and Aunt Ziva each try to persuade their husbands to patch things up but so far all it does is aggravate them further. Then there are my parents who fight continuously about the same incident which we know nothing about.

"Thing still tense?" Victoria asked as she walked pass

Caitlin nodded and Victoria gave a sympathetic smile, "My dad says that the only way to work that out is to lock 'em in a closet. Later!"

That flattering girl is Victoria Palmer and her dad is a close ally that occasionally gets caught up in our schemes.

"Lock 'em in a closet," I repeated in wonder, "Think we can meet tonight?"

"Sure," Chris affirmed, "Tree house?"

My confirmation was not needed. Everyone met at the tree house. When annoying relatives came over or when the fighting got particularly bad, that is where we congregated.

Till today, our parents do not know. Actually they know very little about us, fighting seems to consume them these days.

"Six?" Jacob asked finally as the bell sounded and we all dashed off.

I yelled my response and took off.

* * *

At 14:00, I dashed home after a rather distracting day at school. All that consumed my mind was visions of basements, locks and docile parents.

Ditching my back-pack in the living room, I headed to the kitchen for a sandwich. I was home alone until 7 or maybe 8 when my parents decided to come home.

Eventually the television couldn't hold my wandering mind and I took a trip to the basement. I rooted around carefully and make careful note of the tools and sharp objects. I knocked around the walls a little. They seemed sturdy and there was an absence of hidden entrances.

I headed back to the dining room where I dug out a pencil and paper, trying to think of a manner to lure all 6 people to the basement. Ideas floated and soon I did too, only to be awoken by a sharp knock on the window.

Checking my wrist watch revealed the time to be around 18:05. I dashed out the front door and toward the tree house. Jake was waiting at the foot and I assumed he was the knocker.

"Sorry," I huffed as I climbed the rope ladder.

"So what are we doing here?" Kate asked as she looked up from the homework she was working on.

"Well, is anybody sick of this stupid rivalry?" I asked finally

"I was sick of it two years ago," Chris muttered

"I have a way to patch things up," And with that one sentence, I held the attention of everyone up there.

"We need them to work things out, forcefully." I explained, "But we need to find out what happened two years ago."

"Uncle Jimbo?" Jake questioned

"Nope," I answered, "We need a higher authority,"

* * *

We all currently stood on the porch of a rather fancy house known to us as Mallard Manor.

"Ah Michael, Jacob," Ducky greeted as he opened the door, "Christopher and Caitlin?"

"We need your help," I voiced

"Come on in, kids," Ducky held the door open and we entered.

"Ducky, we need to know what happened between our parents." Jake spat out hastily

Ducky looked taken aback before sighing, "I assumed this day would come one day."

"Will you tell us?" Caitlin asked hopefully

"I suppose you do deserve to know. You are all rather intelligent and mature." Ducky rambled before motioning for us to sit down. We complied and listened intently.

" _Two years ago, there were a string of murders across DC. NCIS had jurisdiction due to the 3 Navy victims which outnumbered the 1 civilian victim. Now, only the finest were sent to handle the matter. That team consisted of your parents._

 _The murdered could not be caught and eventually we came to the conclusion that there was the involvement of some hypnosis of sorts. It was all rather interesting. It reminded me of an ancient Scottish tale…"_

"Uhm Ducky, our parents and their feud," I broke in gently

" _Right. Director Shephard had finally decided to carry out an undercover operation. Anthony and Timothy were to go in and hope for the best. We had a lead on a man that worked at a circus. All of the victims had been to the psychic at the circus shortly before their deaths._

 _Agent Gibbs was dead set against it but after another body, he relented and allowed the operation to proceed. Anthony and Timothy went in and the plan was set in motion perfectly. The killer took the bait and lured them to his trailer. When they went in, their earwigs were cut. We had no contact with them. They were lead underground._

 _It turns out that Anthony and Timothy was his grand finale. They were to kill each other. He used a truth serum on Anthony and things spiralled out of hand. Timothy was given the special task of repairing the computers in MTAC by the director and it seemed that Anthony was secretly afraid that Timothy would outshine him._

 _The truth serum had him fighting Timothy over it. The video was streamed online on a website of some sort._

 _Timothy was deeply upset and refused to speak to Anthony. Anthony never saw the video and he remembered nothing when he awoke after the fight. The killer was apprehended but Anthony tried provoking Timothy in hopes of revealing what he had done. Timothy insulted Anthony and the two have barely spoken since. Gibbs feels responsible and blames Jenny. And that is the story of the feud…"_

"So it was all a misunderstanding then," Chris practically yelled

"It is now far greater than that." Ducky said sadly, "I suppose you must be off before your parents search for you."

Caitlin scoffed but no one said anything further as we filed out.

"I have a plan that will be emailed to you shortly. Read it memorise it, then destroy it. We set in motion tomorrow afternoon," I informed as we separated.

There was a nod from everyone. The days of the feud were numbered.

* * *

At 19:30, I heard car doors slam and counted the seconds until the front door would open. Eventually, it did. Dad looked exceptionally worn out and Mom looked defeated. The two headed straight for the stairs and their bedroom.

That was unusual. I decided to get started on some of the homework that was due. Tomorrow was a day off of school due to a teacher conference. It was a mutual agreement that we not inform our parents in order to carry out our plans.

The minutes dragged and from sitting around wondering, I transitioned to lying around wondering. My phone vibrated on the nightstand and I accepted the distraction to a conference chat.

Caitlin, Christopher and Jacob were already on and active.

"We went over your plan and have an idea on getting them down," Chris said finally, his voice sounding robotic

"He has a plan. I don't think it will work," Kate huffed

"Let's hear it," Jake grumbled

"I could rig an automated message that sort of orders them to the basement without argument or else we end up dead." Chris revealed

"That would work!" I exclaimed in joy

"Chris! You happen to have hidden cameras and listening devices?" Jake said thoughtfully, "We do need to keep one step ahead of them."

"Give me a couple hours and I will," Chris laughed

"We also need a quick way to shut the door." Kate mused, "Uncle Tony could just kick it open."

"Or mom would shoot it," Jake whimpered

"Not if we were standing behind the door," I put in, "They'd never take the shot,"

"We could reinforce the door with a piece of metal." Kate threw in, "Or fix magnets to the walls which would hold the metal slab in place."

"The magnets would not be strong enough," Chris hissed

"I happen to have spent three years of allowance on Neodymium Magnets," Kate boasted, "Once fixed to the wall, that metal sheet will go nowhere."

"We can meet at 8." I suggested

"It will take us close to three hours to clean out the basement thoroughly and prepare for our captives," Jake giggled maniacally

"Another 30 minutes to fix up the magnets," Kate chipped in

"So at 12 we send the message." Chris concluded

"We hide in the kitchen until they all are in the basement then we shut the door. Jake and I carry in the metal and block of the exit." I reminded

"We are going to need to dupe the agency into believing we sent them off on a group therapy session," Jake said finally

"I can handle the electronic trail," Chris agreed

"Well then, sleep well," I smiled, "We have a big day,"


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, I didn't hear much of anything and I had no idea what had happened earlier since there was no fighting for almost an entire day. Regardless it was only a matter of time before everything started up again. I left the house to ensure that nobody suspected anything. We all hung around the treehouse, finalising plans. By 9, we all gathered at the foot of the basement stairs, ready to work. The basement was completely stripped of any sharp objects or anything that could be transformed into a weapon.

The magnets with fitted onto the wall with glue and we tossed down a few sleeping bags and blankets. We left a 3 inch gap between the floor and the starting of the metal sheet to ensure that food could be passed in and out.

Chris was in charge of fitting in some cameras that transmitted to a laptop upstairs. This allowed us to keep tabs on our parents around the clock. In addition, we had a gadget that ensured that all incoming calls were intercepted and answered with voice messages.

It was time to set the trap.

We called our respective parents to inform them that we had finished early and would be home soon.

The metal sheet was in place in the kitchen and the basement was reorganized to make sure that the sleeping bags would be seen last. We made sure to leave the front door slightly ajar and hid ourselves in the living room. We sent an anonymous text to each of our parents which read:

"Make your way to the place where a boat was born or find yourselves childless. You are being monitored. Contact anyone and lose your beloved children."

Each text also contained a single picture of us bound and gagged.

Tracking their cell phones revealed that the entire team was on their way to us. We watched as one by one they rushed into the basement, guns drawn. Aunt Abby was sandwiched between Dad and Uncle Tim. I held up three fingers then two and finally one. We ran like mad men, grabbing the metal sheet and pushing it into place. The magnets did their job perfectly and soon the doorway was completely sealed.

We spoke into microphone that connected to the speakers downstairs.

"We're all up here." I started

"Are you all ok? We got a threatening text message!" Mom said, her director like mind already at work.

"Well that was our doing." I explained

"What do you mean?!" Dad yelled

"You are all here today because we are sick and tired of putting out relationship s aside because of your silly little feud." Jake said steadily

"We don't want to lose any of you and so we are taking matters into own hands." Kate broke in

"We are willing to work things out, princess. You know that you really opened our minds on this important issue." McGee pacified sweetly

"We are not stupid. We know that you are taking a chance." Kate scoffed

"What ever happened 2 years ago was just a mistake. You really need to get over it." Chris put in

"Michael, you know that this is not a good idea." Mom said finally

"It's only idea we have. We want our family back. What else can we do?" I stated

"Stand back! I'll shoot the door down." Aunt Ziva said as she drew her weapon.

"Do you really want to risk me getting hurt!" Jake yelled. His ankles were clearly visible in the gap.

"Jake, this is stupid." Tony groaned

"You guys are going to work out whether you like it or not not." Jake laughed

"We are taking a walk. When we get back we'll talk." Kate announced as we all trudged out.

The camera's recorded every word as Gibbs shrugged off Jenny's hand and made his way to the focal point of attention. He cleared his throat and began:

"Since the kids have locked us down here, it's time I get something off my chest. I know that I am normally not very open with my emotions but it's about time I did this. I'm leaving NCIS."

Shock registered on the faces of everyone in the basement.

"It's not because I am no longer passionate about the job but it's because I can't trust my team. I can't allow Tim and Tony out into the field together because I don't know if I'll get my them back. It has taken me 2 years to finally step in. I should have jumped in a long time ago but I thought it was something you boys could work out on your own. Clearly I was wrong. The only reason that this team is still together is because the director and I are married. The kids are right. I miss Shannon and Kelly but I finally started healing and accepting my family here."

The Boss stopped as he brushed his hand over his eyes.

"I can't trust myself to make decisions. That one decision derailed my entire team. The only logical explanation I see is leaving NCIS. What else can I do?"

"You can't leave!" Ziva exclaimed, "I have never belonged anywhere else and I finally found a father who made me feel useful."

"I'll still be that to you but I can't trust myself and I won't be able to forgive myself if anything have to happen." Gibbs continued, his breath hitching.

"Gibbs, we can work this out," Abby said with slight hiccup.

"Yeah, it is not such a major issue," Tony affirmed

"Although the kids are going to be grounded until they are thirty," McGee grumbled

"I hate to see what you're doing. I'm not one to preach because I haven't spoken to my son properly for months. Think back to your teenage years, DiNozzo. Did you and your dad have a good relationship?"

"No, Boss."

"Do you want the same problem with your son?"

DiNozzo shook his head violently as his mind processed the boss's words.

"We all have daddy issues but do we really want our children to say the same. We know nothing about our kids. We have been ignoring them and provoking them to taking drastic action. All we've been doing is fighting and bickering and ignoring the children," Jenny finished

"We can work this out. Give us a chance," Tim stated firmly as he moved toward Tony.

Tony stood and turned toward Tim as their hands locked in a handshake.


	3. Chapter 3

"How long is the walk they are taking?" Jenny wondered as she paced

"Minutes feel like hours down here." Abby stated with a yawn

"They could walk faster," Ziva groaned

"Any luck with a signal?" Gibbs asked finally

"The signal down here is limited but I may be able to get something if I find the right spot," McGee explained as he and Tony tried to find a signal

"Got it!" McGee exclaimed. Everyone huddled around and McGee frowned, "I lost it again but I did get a text from Jimmy."

' _Kids have been kidnapped. We have a team working on it. Team building is going to have to wait. They need you.'_

"What exactly did the kids tell them?" Jenny muttered

"We have to find a way to break out of here." Gibbs sighed as he inspected the door again.

"It's completely secure," Tony announced finally

Abby began to sob.

"My babies!"

"They will be okay." Tim consoled, "They have to be."

"We have to figure out how they closed the door." Ziva decided finally.

McGee approached the door and prodded around.

"Feel that?" McGee asked excitedly, "That is a magnetic pull attracting my watch."

"Whatever is holding the door is metal which is held in place by magnets?" Jenny asked

"Exactly. But it would be very strong magnets." McGee thought

"If we heat it, the magnets would lose their polarity." Abby sniffled as she assessed the door.

"How are we going to superheat a sheet of metal with nothing?" DiNozzo questioned

"Give me your guns!" Jenny ordered as she pulled her own from her holster.

The team shot looks at each other before shrugging.

"Crack the bullets and gather all the gunpowder." Jenny instructed

"That is brilliant!" McGee cried as he cracked shells open.

"How do we ignite it?" Gibbs asked as he paced around the basement.

"What do we have access to down here?" Abby asked, "Then we know what we are working with."

"Electricity and our wits." Ziva groaned.

"First we get rid of the door." DiNozzo decided as he reclaimed his weapon.

Four shots rang out and one swift kick later, the door fell with a mighty thud.

McGee and Gibbs dragged the fallen door out of the way as Jenny and Abby lay gunpowder at the base of the metal sheet.

DiNozzo and Ziva added splintered wood to the bonfire. Everyone huddled at the furthest corner from the door and Gibbs shot.

The bullet caused a spark that ignited the gunpowder and the wood to create a fire. The metal was heated quickly and within seconds, the magnets were rendered useless.

The fire was starting to die out as the team hurried through. Abby placed a bucket over the smoldering remains and they hightailed it to headquarters.

The car ride was tense and both people at the wheel drove like bats out of hell. The cars barely screeched to a stop before the occupants were sprinting toward the bullpen.

"What the hell happened?!" Gibbs demanded as he saw Ducky.

"We received this 2 hours ago." Jimmy said as he pulled up a video on the plasma TV.

The camera zoomed in on Mike, Jake, Chris and Kate. They were handcuffed to each other with the ropes across their upper bodies tying them each to a pole. They were gagged and bloody.

Jenny inhaled sharply. Abby turned into McGee's shoulder and Gibbs tightened his jaw.

A voice began to talk.

'I want George released in three hours otherwise we take a stroll down memory lane.'

"What does any of that mean!" Jenny fumed

"I am going to find the IP this was sent from." McGee announced as he turned on his computer

" .George." Tony muttered as he paced the bullpen, running his hand through his hair.

Gibbs simply started the video again and started looking for the smallest clue. Halfway through he paused and rewinded it. This continued for a while.

"George!" Tony exclaimed, "George was bastard we nailed two years ago."

"I shot him." Ziva said immediately.

"You shot the guy that was holding us hostage." Tim piped up

"But when we got dragged there, there were two guys." Tony recalled.

"We arrested him later." Gibbs said as he turned away from the monitor.

"Grab your gear." Gibbs ordered finally as he headed for the elevator.

"You know where they are?" Abby asked quietly.

"Look at their eyes." Gibbs directed as he replayed the video.

"They are rolling their eyes." Jenny said in confusion.

"They are signing with their eyes. If you make the shape with your hands, it forms a word." Gibbs explained

"The four words are: clown, two, mint and trap." Abby guessed after watching it again.

"That does not tell us where they are." Jimmy whispered.

"They are at the abandoned circus lot that we were at two years ago. It had a minty smell." Tim said finally, "I managed to narrow down the location to a two mile radius and the circus is within it."

"And trap?" Ducky questioned as the team hurried out.

"You enter through a trap door." Ziva yelled

"What happens if it is a trap?!" Ducky yelled, "Are you going to let your kids watch you die?"

Gibbs halted and spun.

"If it were a trap for us then they all would have signed trap." He explained effortlessly

"What happens if only young Michael heard that portion of their plan." Ducky countered, "Think Jethro."

Gibbs paused.

"Get a SWAT team." Gibbs told Jenny. She nodded and headed to a phone.

"You three grab vests and get backup to go with us."

Tony, Ziva and Tim were out in seconds. Gibbs followed them out to the armoury. They reloaded their weapons, put on their vests and sped away.


End file.
